Yoga, Finding Your Center

As a mother of three with a full time job, I can easily attest to the fact that life can get out of hand. School, work, bath time, diapers, bedtime, and household chores all combine to form a hair-pulling, eye-twitching, stress fueled melt-down. I needed a bit of help unwinding, and after a little research, I found the perfect all natural solution that calls for nothing but an open mind and a small section of floor: yoga.

Yoga means union and is a mind and body practice that hinges on harmonizing the two. It has an expansive history that covers centuries as well as a multitude of countries. There were many different schools of thought under the large umbrella of “yoga”. Modernized yoga, however, gained popularity in the 1980’s and completely exploded in 2001 when its many physical and mental health benefits were made more widely known. It’s poses call for quiet and gentle movement, an awareness of the body that helps to still the mind and drain away the stress of daily life as well as helping to keep the body fit. The different movements and poses build the core, refine balance, and help with posture.

For me, a quiet living room and an instructional video that is only a search engine away combine to create the perfect scenario. I’m comfortable, content, and able to focus on what I’m doing. There’s no need for a baby sitter, and I can feel refreshed, relaxed, and recharged. For many others, a classroom environment with a knowledgeable instructor is preferred. Many gyms and fitness centers offer yoga classes at convenient times and affordable rates. Whichever environment helps you to rejuvenate, yoga is a wonderful way to relax. Namaste.

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Water, the Ultimate Energy Drink

Whether it’s the blue salted waves of the ocean, the rippling brooks that cut through forest floors, or in a frosted glass with softly clinking ice cubes, water is an essential part of life. We,as busy people trying to function in an even busier world, tend to forget that we need this oh so important mineral for our bodies to operate the way they should. We know that we are roughly 70% water. We know that it’s a healthier choice than sugary sodas or caffeinated super drinks designed to give us an extra boost, especially since the rush given by caffeine is often followed by a dive and crash into fatigue. Do we really know what water can do for our bodies though?

Proper hydration can increase energy and relieve fatigue. Your body’s cells are getting what they need to carry out all of their moment to moment tasks without all of the extra “garbage”. Thoughts are clearer, concentration is more acute, and your brain is just all around more alert. Your digestive system can function more smoothly and allow waste and toxins to be flushed from the body, reducing that bloated feeling after meals. Drinking plenty of water can aid in weight loss as appetite can be reduced as well. Many times the need for something to drink is mistaken as hunger pangs. With no added sugars or calories, water is the ultimate diet supplement.
Water, be it around us or inside of us, is a necessary component of life, and the more we utilize it, the better we will feel.

Vitality Essential Oils Jewelry

In the pharmaceutical age where every ailment has a synthesized cure, many of us have become a bit wary of adding chemicals to our homes and even more so to our bodies. An answer to this dilemma is rapidly regaining its popularity from days long past: essential oils. Once known as aromatic oils, essential oils have been used throughout history in various parts of the world to heal the sick, bring calm and aid in meditation, as a sleep aid, perfumes, a multitude of religious practices, and simply to promote good health.

Now, as a full-fledged believer in the many uses of aromatherapy and someone who was overwhelmed by the multitude of choices, the idea of carrying a mini-apothecary with me everywhere I went truly had no appeal. I didn’t want to risk losing my collection, and I honestly didn’t want another thing to carry in my already busy and chaotic life. Vitality Essential Oils provided a stylish and practical answer to my problem: diffuser jewelry.

Stylish and functional, Vitality Essential Oils have jewelry for everyone. No matter if earrings, bracelets, or necklaces are your style, they have something for your life. Once you’ve chosen your perfect accessory, choose an oil that fits your needs. Oils for migraine relief, anxiety reduction, and sleep aids are just a few of the products they offer. One drop of oil on one bead will diffuse over the course of the day, providing natural and functional way to harness the many uses of this wonderful product.

Atman Tea Co. Relaxes The Body

I have the pleasure of smelling the relaxing aromas of the tea from Atman Tea Co. as I write this. The smell reminds me of a health spa and I find my mind drifting to scenes of zen gardens. In this day and age it is more important than ever to take a few moments to relax and enjoy life. The Atman Tea Co. promises a stress-free experience when you drink their teas.

The brand itself is focused on providing a product that is beneficial to the customer. I am also happy to report that their teas are completely all natural and organic. I drink a lot of tea and have found that more and more companies try to trick their customers into thinking that they are getting a wholesome product, but in truth they are tricking them into buying processed ingredients. The Atman Tea Co. is very transparent and honest with their customers, so you don’t have to worry about the quality of the ingredients.

They also take the frustration out of making a cup whole-leaf tea by packaging their teas in biodegradable pyramid tea bags. There is much to be said about a company that takes special care of their product and customers to provide an all-around unique experience. Their teas are hand blended, that means a machine isn’t preparing your blend for you, and their whole business is personable. If you are looking for a product to help you relax, look no further. I highly recommend checking out their website for more information.

Atman Tea Co. – Click here to learn more!

Send Me Gluten Free Subscription Box

It’s hard to find healthy food subscription boxes, and almost impossible to find any that taste good. Send Me Gluten Free is one company that is out to change that! When the box arrived I was greeted by a bright orange package which put me in a good mood. Sure, they could’ve sent it in a plain brown box, but they took the time to make this subscription special for each person.

When I opened the box I was surprised at the sheer number of items. With subscription boxes you will normally get 4-5 samples, but this box was filled with really unique and healthy food options. I found some familiar and loved names like Justin’s, but there were also some really unique snacks in the box such as chocolate rocks!

The next step was to try the food and see if it actually tasted good. I am pleased to say that every item in the box passed the taste test with flying colors. The food not only looks good, but it taste good too. For some shoppers finding foods that are gluten free is a real task. This company does all of the hard work for you, and in fact they take things a step further and send along coupons and relevant information about the products in the box so that you can continue to enjoy them even after you’ve finished off the food in your subscription.

For more information or to subscribe, check out www.SendMeGlutenFree.com.

Fit Snack Subscription Box

Fit Snack is a monthly subscription box for those of you who care about the foods that you eat. We decided to try the box to see the types of snacks that are sent and if they live up to the hype presented on their website. We are pleased to say that it exceeds anything that you might have previously read about Fit Snack.

The box itself is pleasant to look at and features the crisp Fit Snack logo on it. The product information sheet included in each box is well designed, organized, and easy to read and understand. Our box had a little bit of everything in it, with foods ranging from Columbia County Flax Granola to the famous Justin’s Nut Butter.

There was even a cool added bonus in the box which was a sample of Musclewerks Detrim Capsules. It helps to round out the overall theme of the box which is making lifestyle choices that will better your overall health and wellbeing.

When you flip over the information card there is a fast and effective workout plan included. This was a very nice addition because not only do you get snacks and foods that taste amazing and are healthy, but you get more information on exercises that you can do to stay fit as well. This is one of the most well put-together boxes that we have ever tried. The variety of foods included was nice, the taste and flavors were fantastic, and the added information made it feel like something truly special and unique.

We highly recommend that you check out Fit Snack and get a box for yourself! To add to the awesomeness, you will get a free GYM Bag when you sign up using out link. So go ahead, get fit, and have fun doing it with Fit Snack – Click here to visit their website and get a box of your own!

Gfreely

Think healthy, now think how hard it can be sometimes to eat that way. What would you say to getting a box filled with super healthy and gluten free snacks delivered right to your front door each and every month? Believe it or not, Gfreely is a company that is making this a reality. For only $19 a month plus shipping you will get your surprise box delivered right to you or a loved one every month.

You will get super cool snacks, recipes, and of course GFree foods in the box. It’s different each month, so there’s never any fear of growing bored with what they send. You may or may not know that it can sometimes be quite difficult to find gluten free foods at your local supermarket and if you do they don’t always taste the best. What’s cool about this monthly box is they hand pick foods that taste amazing and are good for you.

A lot of monthly subscription boxes offer small sample sized portions of the products that they feature, and while you will get sample sizes in this box, they also include full sized foods and even things you can cook and eat as your entire meal. They don’t just send you cheap food, they send you a whole new lifestyle in a box. You will feel better and notice that the food you eat taste better when you try eating gluten free, and there is no better time or way to start than right now with a Gfreely subscription.

For more information on Gfreely or to subscribe to their monthly box be sure to check out their website, Facebook, or Twitter.

Bulu Box

One monthly subscription box that you should know about is the Bulu Box. Many monthly subscription boxes are targeted towards one type of person, people who like sweets, people who like cosmetics, etc. but what really separates the Bulu Box from all of the others is that it is a box that literally anyone and everyone can enjoy.

Each month for only $10 you will get a box full of four to five premium health and fitness related samples. When they say premium, they mean it! The samples that you get are actually more like month supplies. You will get a few products that you can use once or twice, but you will get enough in each of the boxes to last you a month until your next one arrives. You really get your money’s worth with this box.

Staying healthy is sometimes a hard thing to do, but the assortment of products included in the Bulu Box gives enough variety that allows for anyone to be able to use the products in the box. If you aren’t into major fitness programs then you can still enjoy the other health related products in the box. Keeping yourself healthy means lots of things, not just looking healthy. While you will get some really great stuff in your box each month that will help you stay fit and look great, there are many things included that are just for your overall health. This means that even if you don’t spend every day at the GYM then you will still be able to enjoy the stuff that this box has to offer. For example one product included in one of their boxes was a drink mix that helps you relax naturally, I think just about anyone could use that!

Overall, the Bulu Box is one of the top monthly subscription boxes to get! If you care about your well being and would love the opportunity to try generous proportions of some of the top brands then don’t hesitate to get this box. This box also makes a wonderful gift for any high school or college student who wants to keep healthy but doesn’t have the time or cash to dedicate to getting the products for themselves. You can cancel anytime, but our bet is that you won’t want to. Go ahead and subscribe or find out more by visiting them online at BuluBox.com!

Apps For A Healthier You

It seems anymore that technology is a permeant fixture in the lives of just about everyone. To some this may be an excuse to not live healthy or put health on a lesser priority, but it is actually a great way to stay healthy. Some of the most effective and popular apps on the market today deserve some recognition. If you own any iod device, basically an Apple product such as an iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad, then you already have the base for what these apps are all about! Here are the best fitness and health apps on the market.

MyFitnessPal – Now you don’t need an ios device for this because they have a website that does the same thing, but this app makes it very simple to track weight loss, manage your diet, connect with other people wanting to stay healthy and loose weight, and it has just about every feature someone looking to stay healthy on the go would want. This app is FREE!

Couch-to-5K – Talk about an effective app! This app not only sets a simple to follow plan to get you healthy and ready to run a 5K if you want to, but it has a built in music player for when you are doing the plan, three different digital trainers to choose from to guide you along, and offers the option for finding 5K’s near you and even gives you a discount for registering for a 5K. This app cost $1.99.

Sleep Cycle – Everyone knows that you can’t exercise and be healthy if you are tired and exhausted to begin with. Sleep Cycle is an app that monitors your motion while you sleep and determines when you are in your lesser sleep cycle, meaning you aren’t in as deep a sleep, and it goes by the time you set to be woken up. It gradually wakes you up by playing your choice of sound, music, or regular alarm noise. This app is important because it wakes you up on time and does it in a way that makes you feel like you have gotten a great nights sleep every time! This app is $0.99.

Pedometer – There is a paid and free version of this app, both are great! This app takes the pedometer to the next level by allowing you to listen to your music while walking, running, jogging, etc. it also records spikes in how fast you are going, as well as time, and it does all of this while setting goals for walking with you. If you plan on having your ios device with you, then this is the app to get, but it is ment for iPod Touch and iPhone, sorry but I doubt you would want to carry an iPad with you while you go jogging.

These are some of the best health and fitness apps on the market, some are free, and some cost, but none are over $3. Health is such an important thing, so I have a feeling you won’t mind putting down a dollar or two to make your tech life a little more healthy.

Do Fullbars Really Work?

So we have all herd of the “Fullbar” that is supposed to keep you from overeating. The question is, “Does it really work?” I decided to test the Fullbar out to see if it truly lives up to what it says it does. Upon opening the wrapper before eating the Fullbar I noticed that it is pretty much puffy cereal all stuck together with soy or wheat or something that can hold it in the bar format. One has to ask how it is any different from a breakfast bar, am I right? I decided to give it a chance anyway, after all it could be the best weight loss solution ever made. I ate the bar and drank more water than required, just to make sure that the effects would be applied. The idea is that the water makes the cereal like puffs blow up and get bigger while in your stomach, therefore filling more space and making you less hungry.

I went to dinner the first day, after waiting thirty minutes after consuming a fullbar of course, and found that I ate pretty much the same amount as always. The next day I did the same, only I did eat about one plate less. Keep in mind a plate for me consist of a few spoonfuls of rice and a breadstick or something to that effect. Ok, so one plate less isn’t too bad, but I would have to buy box after box of these things in order to lose weight, right? Pretty much, over time you can lose weight with the full bar, but personally I think you would be able to get similar results with a bag of dry cereal and a lot of bottled water. It may have just been my experience with the Fullbar that was disappointing, but I think the price for no more than you get isn’t worth it.